$300 TAX CREDIT ON SALES-TAX PAYMENTS (H 3400): House, 31-124, rejected an amendment that would provide taxpayers an annual tax credit of up to $150 on the sales taxes they pay to the state. The credit would increase to $300 in subsequent years.

PROHIBIT STATE FROM COLLECTING FULL SALES TAX ON DISCOUNTED PHONE PLANS (H 4100): House 31-124, rejected an amendment that would prohibit the state from collecting from a retailer the sales tax on the full price of a discounted cellphone and calling plan commonly known as a bundled package. The customer currently pays the sales tax on the actual sale price while the retailer is being billed by the Department of Revenue for the sales tax on the amount that was discounted. (A "Yes" vote is against the state collecting on the full price. A "No" vote is for allowing the state to do so.)

TWO-DAY SALES-TAX HOLIDAY (S 156): House, 131-23, approved and sent to Gov. Deval Patrick a bill that would allow consumers to buy most products that cost under $2,500 on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2011, and Sunday, Aug. 12, 2011 without paying the state's 6.25 percent sales tax. (A "Yes" vote is for the tax-free holiday. A "No" vote is against it.)

LIMIT HIKES ON COST OF VENDING-MACHINE LICENSES (H 4324): House 52-100, rejected an amendment that would limit the hike in the annual license fee for vending machines to a 100 percent increase, from $3 to $6. This would supersede the state Department of Public Health's effort to raise the fees by 567 percent, from $3 to $20 per machine.

(A "Yes" vote is for the 100 percent limit. A "No" vote is against it.)

YES: Reps. Adams, Arciero, Garry, Harrington, Lombardo, Miceli.

NO: Reps. Atkins, Benson, Golden, Kevin Murphy, Nangle.

DIDN'T VOTE: Charles Murphy

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MEALS-TAX HOLIDAY (H 4100): House 36-117, rejected a Republican amendment that would exempt diners from paying the state's 6.25 percent meals tax between Oct. 7 and Oct. 12. (A "Yes" vote is for the meals tax holiday. A "No" vote is against it.)

STUDY AND DELAY SALES-TAX CUT FROM 6.25 PERCENT TO 5.75 PERCENT (H 3781): House 122-34, approved a Democratic leadership-sponsored amendment that would replace a proposal to reduce the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 5.75 percent with an amendment to study the proposal instead. Most measures that are shipped off to a study committee are never actually studied and are essentially defeated. (The roll-call vote is on the amendment to study the tax cut. A "Yes" vote is for studying the tax cut. A "No" vote is against the study and in most cases favors the tax cut.)

STUDY AND DELAY SALES-TAX CUT FROM 6.25 PERCENT TO 5 PERCENT (H 4100): House 119-37, approved a Democratic leadership-sponsored amendment requiring the state to conduct a study of a proposal to reduce the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 5 percent over a three-year period. The study amendment would replace a proposal to simply reduce the tax to 5 percent over three years. (The roll-call vote is on the amendment to study the tax cut. A "Yes" vote is for studying the tax cut. A "No" vote is against the study and in most cases favors the tax cut.)

STUDY GAS-TAX EXEMPTION FOR CITIES AND TOWNS (H 4100): House 117-38 approved a Democratic leadership-sponsored amendment requiring the state to conduct a study of a proposal exempting cities' and towns' vehicle fuel purchases from the 21 cents-per-gallon gas tax. The study would replace a proposal to simply exempt the fuel purchases. (The roll-call vote is on the amendment to study the tax exemption. A "Yes" vote is for studying the exemption. A "No" vote is against the study and in most cases favors the exemption.)

2013-2014 HOUSE AND SENATE: When the smoke cleared after Election Day, a review of the results showed that the balance of power in the state Senate in the 2013-2014 session remains the same as 2011-2012. The membership will include 36 Democrats and only four Republicans. Both parties were unsuccessful in attempts to unseat incumbents of the other party. The Democrats had a small gain in the House by knocking off three incumbent freshmen Republicans. The new House in January 2013 will be comprised of 131 Democrats and 29 Republicans.

COURT OFFICERS (H 4483): The House approved and sent to the Senate a bill that would cover court officers with assault pay if they are injured in the line of duty by anyone in the courtroom. Current law only provides assault pay if the officer is injured in dealing with a patient or prisoner. Supporters said officers are sometimes injured when breaking up a fight between the family members of the victim and the defendant or between members of the same family. They argued it is important to ensure that hard-working court officers are fully protected on the job.

2012 BALLOT QUESTIONS: The voters approved ballot Question 1 that would require auto manufacturers to sell to non-dealer repair shops the complete repair information and diagnostic tools currently only provided to franchised dealer service centers. They also gave a thumbs-up to Question 3 that would allow medical use of marijuana. Voters rejected Question 2 allowing terminally ill patients with fewer than six months to live to obtain medication they can self-administer to commit suicide.

Already on the books is a different "Right to Repair" law the Legislature approved and Gov. Patrick signed into law in August. Ballot-question supporters say the current law is flawed because it doesn't allow automakers to share telematics, a growing technology that would allow car trouble to be diagnosed remotely by using information generated by the car. The ballot law, effective in 30 days, supersedes the current law. However, the Legislature would still be allowed to make changes to the new law or even override it and reinstate the compromise law. It is not yet known what the Legislature intends to do with the conflicting laws.

HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK'S SESSION? During the week of Nov. 5-9, the House met for a total of 38 minutes while the Senate met for a total of 50 minutes.

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